STEM

What Would Be the Best Way to Learn and Apply Measurement, Geometry, and Transformations?

Mr Zucchet, a dedicated Economics and Mathematics teacher, wanted to enhance the numeracy skills of his Year 10 prevocational students. Instead of traditional lessons, he devised a hands-on STEM project that brought Mathematical concepts to life.

The challenge? Students would start by designing simple 3D printable shapes, gradually progressing to complex composite structures with specific measurements. As their skills developed, students were tasked with designing a car model using various geometric shapes, ultimately producing a rapid prototype with a 3D printer.

To bring their ideas to life, students used TinkerCAD, a digital design tool that helped them master essential skills such as scaling, rotation, translation, measurement, and symmetry.

The final test of their learning would be designing a piece of concept furniture—first in TinkerCAD, then as a scaled-down 3D-printed model, and finally as a full-scale prototype in the Technology workshop.

Their efforts would not go unnoticed. Some of the creations would be showcased at the end-of-year STEM Showcase event in November, celebrating their journey from mathematical theory and numeracy to real-world application.

Mr S Bagh

Senior Teacher (Futures Technologies and STEM)